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Methods and systems are generally described that inhibit debris (such as ice) accretions and/or remove debris (such as ice) accretions from the exterior surface of an aircraft. In some embodiments, the invention is a system for an aircraft comprising: a component of the aircraft having a surface; a

Methods and systems are generally described that inhibit debris (such as ice) accretions and/or remove debris (such as ice) accretions from the exterior surface of an aircraft. In some embodiments, the invention is a system for an aircraft comprising: a component of the aircraft having a surface; a plurality of piezo-kinetic actuators each positioned proximate to a portion of the surface; and a control unit coupled to the plurality of actuators, the control unit configured to actuate one or more of the actuators at one or more frequencies between about 1 Hz and about 1 kHz; wherein the actuators are each configured to introduce a displacement of the surface in three dimensions to inhibit a formation of ice on at least the portion of the surface and to break up existing ice formations on at least the portion of the surface.

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1. A system for an aircraft comprising: a component of the aircraft having a surface, the surface comprising an outer facing portion and an inner facing portion;a plurality of actuators each positioned proximate to and coupled to the inner facing portion of the surface, wherein each of the plurality

1. A system for an aircraft comprising: a component of the aircraft having a surface, the surface comprising an outer facing portion and an inner facing portion;a plurality of actuators each positioned proximate to and coupled to the inner facing portion of the surface, wherein each of the plurality of actuators comprises a macro fiber composite (MFC) solid-state electric actuator; anda control unit coupled to the plurality of actuators, the control unit configured to drive one or more of the plurality of actuators at one or more frequencies;wherein the plurality of actuators are each configured to introduce a displacement of the surface in three dimensions to perform one or both of inhibiting a formation of ice on at least the portion of the surface and breaking up existing ice formations on at least the portion of the surface;wherein the plurality of actuators are flexible and substantially conform to a curvature of the surface. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit comprises: a microcontroller; andat least one amplifier coupled to the microcontroller and the plurality of actuators. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to have a weight to power output ratio that is less than 0.0125 lbs per watt. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the component comprises a wing of the aircraft and the surface comprises an edge surface of the wing that first contacts air during flight. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to drive the one or more of the plurality of actuators at one or more frequencies between 1Hz and 1kHz. 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the control unit is configured to drive the one or more of the plurality of actuators at one or more frequencies between 55 Hz and 235 Hz. 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more frequencies are one or more predetermined frequencies substantially corresponding to one or more resonant frequencies of the surface, the resonant frequencies at least a function of a geometry of the surface. 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to provide power and the one or more of the plurality of actuators are configured to use the power at no more than 0.1 watts per square centimeter. 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of actuators are embedded within a composite leading edge of the component with respect to a direction of movement of the component. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of actuators are each positioned proximate to the portion of the surface in an evenly spaced manner. 11. The system of claim 1 wherein the component comprises at least a portion of at least one of the following: an aircraft wing, an aircraft tail, an air foil, an aircraft rudder, an aircraft control surface such as a flap or an elevator, a wind turbine blade, an engine intake surface, a helicopter rotor blade, and a refrigeration coil cooling fin. 12. The system of claim 1 wherein the surface of the component comprises at least one of: an alloy, a composite material, graphite, a polymer, a thermoplastic or fiberglass. 13. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to selectively drive two or more of the plurality of actuators in time in a sequence relative to each other, the two or more of the plurality of actuators arranged in a pattern extending across at least a portion of the surface. 14. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to selectively drive two or more of the plurality of actuators in time in a sequence relative to each other, the two or more of the plurality of actuators arranged in a pattern extending from one portion of the surface in a linear sweep to another portion of the surface. 15. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of actuators are arranged in a plurality of zones each zone corresponding to a respective region of the surface, wherein the control unit is configured to selectively drive the plurality of actuators of each of the plurality of zones in time relative to others of the plurality of zones. 16. The system of claim 15 wherein the control unit is configured to drive the plurality of actuators of at least two zones at different frequencies. 17. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to drive the one or more of the plurality of actuators at the one or more constant frequencies. 18. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to selectively drive the one or more of the plurality of actuators at a plurality of predetermined frequencies within a predetermined time period. 19. The system of claim 18 further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the one or more of the plurality of actuators, the at least one sensor configured to sense an impedance of the one or more of the plurality of actuators when being driven by the control unit. 20. The system of claim 19 wherein the control unit is coupled to the at least one sensor and is configured to switch a driving frequency of the one or more of the plurality of actuators based on signaling received from the at least one sensor. 21. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of actuators are each configured to introduce the displacement of the surface in the three dimensions including transverse and longitudinal directions. 22. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to automatically drive the one or more of the plurality of actuators. 23. The system of claim 1, wherein each solid-state electric actuator comprises a piezo-kinetic actuator. 24. The system of claim 1, wherein each solid-state electric actuator comprises a piezoelectric material. 25. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators each comprising a flexible sheet substantially conforming to the curvature of the surface. 26. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators substantially conform to and attach to the curvature of the surface. 27. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators each comprise a plurality of ceramic rods between layers of adhesive, electrodes and film. 28. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators are each configured to introduce the displacement of the surface in three dimensions to contact a solid layer interface of the existing ice formations contacting the portion of the surface. 29. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuators are each configured to introduce the displacement of the surface in three dimensions to perform one or both of inhibiting the formation of ice on the at least the portion of the surface and breaking up the existing ice formations on the at least the portion of the surface without active heating of the portion of the surface. 30. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of actuators is configured to introduce the displacement of the surface and is coupled to a sensor that monitors an impedance of the actuator. 31. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor coupled to one of the plurality of actuators, the sensor configured to sense an impedance of the one of the plurality of actuators when being driven by the control unit in order to detect icing conditions. 32. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is configured to drive the one or more of the plurality of actuators at one or more frequencies including one or more frequencies at or near one or more resonant frequencies of the portion of the surface. 33. The system of claim l, wherein the control unit is configured to drive one or more of the plurality of actuators at the one or more frequencies and including one of a resonant frequency of the portion of the surface in which ice has not formed thereon and a resonant frequency of the portion of the surface having ice formed thereon. 34. A method for use with an aircraft comprising: driving a plurality of actuators each positioned proximate to and coupled to an inner facing portion of a surface of a component of the aircraft, the surface further comprising an outer facing portion, wherein each of the plurality of actuators comprises a macro fiber composite (MFC) solid-state electric actuator; anddriving one or more of the plurality of actuators at one or more frequencies such that each of the plurality of actuators introduce a displacement of the surface in three dimensions to perform one or both of inhibiting a formation of ice on at least the portion of the surface and breaking up existing formations of the ice on at least the portion of the surface;wherein the plurality of actuators are flexible and substantially conform to a curvature of the surface. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of actuators each comprise a plurality of ceramic rods between layers of adhesive, electrodes and film.